How far have you been to support Bristol's 2018 World Cup bid?
The Evening Post has been to Land's End and back supporting Bristol's bid to host World Cup football in 2018 and now the England 2018 team want to know where you are have been.
England is one of nine bids to host the 2018 tournament, and to promote its cause further afield on the international stage the bid team is handing out official scarves to fans going overseas.
England, Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Portugal, and the USA have all applied to stage the event in either 2018 or 2022 with South Korea and Qatar staking a claim to host it in 2022 only.
With the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil the bookies are favouring Europe for the tournament's destination in 2018 but FIFA have officially scrapped their previous policy of rotating the competition around the world's continents.
So register your support with England 2018, get a scarf and get snapping to raise the profile of our bid and make a point to FIFA.
The Yeovil Town boss, leader of the Bath & NE Somerset council, and CEO of the Gloucestershire Football Association are just some of the people outside Bristol who have supported England's bid and urged the 2018 team not to ignore the South West. But we want you to get promoting the bid on your holidays as well.
Follow the example of Matt Taylor and his younger sister Gemma, Bristol City fans who took a Back Bristol T-shirt they picked up at Ashton Gate on holiday with them to Benodet in the South of France. "I have supported Bristol City for a number of years and would love to see the World Cup come to England and even Bristol," Matt said.
"It will be awesome to see international level football in your own town and to see the star players you never think you will be able to see in front of your eyes, live!"
Similarly, Bob Hill from Clifton got in touch with the Bristol 2018 team and carried a Back Bristol banner to the Netherlands for England's friendly against Holland last month.
England fans have already carried scarves to Japan, the USA, Hong Kong, Gibraltar, Germany and Italy among others and are posting away online promoting England's bid.
Heading away now the schools are back and the flights are cheaper? Planning a half-term getaway?
Get in touch via Facebook and on Twitter @england2018 or @bristol2018.
Or you can post support for Bristol on the Bring the World Cup 2018 to Bristol Facebook group, which has gained more than a 1,000 new members in two days and will shortly have an exclusive new Back Bristol video.
6 Comments
by Farouk Shabal, Bristol
Friday, September 18 2009, 4:47PM
“I've had some key rings made. They say
"Come on Bristol! Let's get behing the 2018 World Cup bid and bring the beautiful game to our beautiful city"
There's a picture of David Prowse and Carol Vorderman on them (legal clearance tbc).
I have 2 prototypes. One has very small writing as it needs to be a size to fit in pockets. The second version you can read better but may be better as a commemorative plate.
Come on everyone. I want to be ignored by Swedish girls in blue and yellow bikinis and witness NATO standard water cannons.
Let's gooooooooooooooooo!!!”
by Andy, Bristol
Friday, September 18 2009, 4:43PM
“Pete you must be mad, or wearing blinkers. The BEP was never on the fence......it has gone way over the top in twisting our arms into 'backing the bid'. It has made virtually no concession towards objective, unbiased reporting on this subject - and yet as soon as it does publish some balance you accuse them of being negative or on the fence.
Wake up Pete. It's the protesters and local residents being granted a legitimate voice at last.”
by Pete, Bristol
Friday, September 18 2009, 12:50PM
“Unfrotunate about the previous negative comments which show why Bristol sits where it is as a backwater city, the BEP says it supports a World Cup then gives a two page spread to the local hundred minority who would like to stop it. The BEP knows that if there is no Tesco there is no new stadium consequently there is no World Cup bid. Stop sitting on the fence BEP!”
by It's me, Bristol
Friday, September 18 2009, 10:08AM
“Yet more propaganda from the evening post.”
by Chris, Bristle
Friday, September 18 2009, 8:06AM
“2018........ gives me ..... 9 years to move. I can do that.”
by Julraj, Clifton, Bristol
Friday, September 18 2009, 7:29AM
“I love football, nothing's better at 12.30pm on a Saturday than a good premiership derby game. Going to world cup and future exhibition games in Bristol would be a dream but...
1.Bristol has never had a premiership team or premiership-level stadium facility.
2.Even plans to build a city stadium of sub-premiership standard/size were shelved.
3.I don't want to talk about our transport issues.
I think even the quality of the graphic the BEP has generated demonstrates how seriously they take this bid. Unless someone's receiving a dodgy envelope full of cash, it's not going to happen.”